The highly desirable two-seater XK 120 Roadster broke cover at the Earls Court Motor Show in London in late 1948. Jaguar were keen to partner their new 6 cylinder engine with a car that delivered style, power and above all presence.

Simply called the XK, this incredible sporting legend was given its prefix because of its ‘experimental’ phase. The letter ‘K’ was allocated to the last in the line of developmental prototypes.

The car was never designed to be produced in large numbers, but seemed the perfect choice to showcase the marques new 3.4 litre twin-overhead-camshaft engine.

It was claimed the Jaguar could top over 100mph, which test driver Soapy Sutton easily achieved and even astounded the press by reaching an eye-watering 133mph, albeit with a reduced windscreen adaption.

Now deemed the fastest production car in the world, this beautiful Jaguar was becoming increasingly popular. Disciples of the big cat were now proving difficult to satisfy, with enthusiasts eager to purchase the mother of all Jaguars.

Twilight Blue 1951 XK 120 Fixed Head Coupe

This particular Twilight Blue 1951 XK 120 Fixed Head Coupe is a rare ‘one owner’ classic, which has been given a full frame-off restoration by Eddie Adams of Eddies Antique Auto in Elwood, New Jersey.

Romantic provenance can prove a classic magnetic attraction, none more so than in the case case of this wonderful beast. The current owner was in fact quite fortunate in his quest to gain possession of the XK, with an initial purchaser placing a hefty deposit, then subsequently reneging on the deal due to his friends being proud Porsche owners and being unable to race his Jaguar in their company.

The current owner agreed to settle the outstanding balance, then used the car on a regular basis until 1977, where it remained reflecting a frugal 65,000 miles on its speedometer.

A truly outstanding example of British craftsmanship, scoring 98.4 points in JCNA in 2018.

Full details of this Jaguar XK 120 FHC and other fascinating lots can be found here.